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Film London Launches British Capital Film Hub

The U.K. government agency, led by Adrian Wootton, has secured $1.3 million lottery cash from the BFI gatekeepers to push movie culture out across the capital.

LONDON – Film London, the British capital's movie agency familiar to Hollywood's location decision-makers, officially launched Film Hub London at an event at the ICA Monday.

London’s Hub, buoyed with $1.3 million (£800,000) in lottery funding from the British Film Institute over four years, has attracted over 100 members representing 30 of London’s 33 boroughs.

Part of the BFI's film audience network, the Hub and its membership of commercial and independent cinemas and film clubs and smaller community groups aims to expand movie culture opportunities to more audiences across the British capital.

Adrian Wootton, Film London and the British Film Commission CEO, said: "Officially launching the Hub with over 100 members demonstrates the sheer ambition of organizations to broaden the film offer for Londoners, which is hugely encouraging. Working with the smallest community groups through to the commercial cinema chains allows us to do something really special with film culture in London, significantly growing audiences by delivering inclusive, imaginative and engaging screening activity."

Screening collective A Nos Amours, co-founded by writer-director Joanna Hogg (Archipelago) and Adam Roberts, is a Film Hub London member.

"We’re thrilled to be part of such a collaborative network that shares our ambition in championing the value of the collective film-watching experiences, and increasing audience choice for as many people as possible," they said.

Film London also introduced Seven Streets, Two Markets and A Wedding: Glimpses of Lost London 1930 – 1980, a new feature-length program of archive footage curated by London’s Screen Archives, the city's network of heritage film collections managed by Film London.

The collection of 10 rare films, largely unseen in generations, will be presented theatrically for the first time and offers glimpses of lost London from 1930 to 1980 with the original Lambeth Walk, dray horses in 1960s Marylebone and an East End parade.